Acrophobia is an abnormal fear of heights that can develop due to traumatic experiences like falls or accidents, psychological perceptions of situations as catastrophic, or fear transmission from parents to children. Relatives of those with situational phobias like fear of heights are also more likely to experience this fear. Phobias are characterized by an intense dislike of confronting the feared situation, and those experiencing acrophobia face heights with growing discomfort, though the fear is irrational and can be overcome with proper treatment. People with acrophobia should not be forced to directly confront their fear as this can greatly increase anxiety, and they should not be made to feel courageous for facing their fear.
3. There are a number of factorsthatpredisposethepatienttosufferfromfear of heights, such as theexistence of traumaticeventsbetheyphysical (fallsoraccidents), psychological (perception of a situation as catastrophic), orthetransmission of fearbyparentstochildren. And althoughthereislittleresearch in thisfield, carriedout so farsuggestthatfirst-orderrelatives of peoplewithtypesituationalphobias, likefear of emptiness, are more likelytoexperiencethisfeeling.
4. Phobias Certainalways a fear, in this case totheheights, phobias are characterizedbyan intense disliketoconfrontfeared, so that, ifyoumust, thevictim faces thesituationwith a growingdiscomfort. Itisanirrationalfear of thepersonwho has itisconscious, but can beovercomeisoftencomplicatedwhennotidentifyits causes, and treatedproperly.